Green Space Solutions! Finally! Sorry, for the delay...lots of exciting things going on in life...soon to be updated here, since they most likely will affect some of the content of this blog...in a very good way!
So, as pointed out in Part One of this series, when comparing people of similar socioeconomic status, numerous studies have show that those who live in or have access to green space are in better health, have longer life expectancy and are socially, emotionally and physically healthier, than their concrete bound peers. The question then becomes, how do we improve access to green space to lower socioeconomic classes. A valid assumption can be made that a large percentage of lower income citizens are located in urban or developed suburban environments (of course, this is not true for all, but can be used as a foundation to work upon, especially when considering populations of big cities.)
This being the case we have two basic ways to expose these people to more green space
-Bring the green space to them.
-Bring them to the green space.
So lets start with what we already have. Being the fiscal conservative that I am, I say...hey, we have all of these wonderful national parks, trails, lakes, rivers, etc., etc., etc, that in many places are under utilized...how can we make it easier for urbanites to enjoy them?
Enter an innovative program starting up operations in California, called ‘Transit to Trails’. Transit to Trails takes inner city youth and their families to mountain, beach, and Los Angeles River trips. The project not only helps them get out of the city and enjoy the natural atmosphere around them, it also provides educational information about the water, land, wildlife, and cultural history of the area. Some trips even take a one-two punch and help teach the kids about the importance of physical activity and healthy eating for life-long health.
Many of these children live less than an hour from these natural green spaces, but have never been there. They either have working parents that have no time to take them or funds to send them, lack access to cars, or simply do not know enough about the areas to plan trips. Transit to Trails is a multi-agency effort and utilizes the public transportation system.
Although, it is wonderful to utilize the green spaces we already have, it is also helpful for these citizens to be able to enjoy the green spaces on a daily basis. Enter ‘urban renewal’. Sure there are already many city parks (thanks to the New Deal), but study after study have shown in the areas where green space exposure is needed the most, people avoid these parks out of fear. Crime prevention solutions are above my level of expertise, however, effort undoubtedly needs to be put into brainstorming solutions.
Another, urban green space project that is gaining popularity, and one of my personal favorites, is the ‘community garden’. Lots of information about community gardens from American Community Garden Association.
A few examples of cities that have instituted great community gardening programs:
And just to further encourage my point, HERE is an article that specifically addresses health benefits of community gardens!
Of course there are many more options for bringing more green space into citizen's lives, these are just a few programs, which I know about and love. I would love to hear from readers, who know of other measures cities have taken to encourage exploration and development of urban green space. The benefits of all these programs are enormous on a social, mental, physical and environmental level.
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